Geely Starray EM-i hybrid: Can it run a whole week without a drop of gasoline?

A recent test of the Geely Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid aimed to determine if it could realistically be driven for an entire week without consuming a single drop of gasoline, challenging the notion that such vehicles are only practical for slow city driving.

The test began with the car having just 63 kilometers of fuel range, a deliberate choice by the reviewer to avoid the temptation of refueling. Relying solely on public charging stations, the reviewer embarked on a busy week involving apartment renovations and frequent travel across the city for work and errands. Despite the demanding schedule and the use of air conditioning, the car consistently delivered approximately 75 kilometers on a full charge.

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For everyday city routes, this means that most drivers can forget about the gas station, provided the car is charged regularly.

This real-world performance closely matched Geely's claimed electric range of 83 kilometers, a figure the reviewer noted is often optimistic in other electrified vehicles. The Starray EM-i consumed between 13 and 16 kWh per 100 kilometers, depending on driving conditions. For most daily urban commutes, this suggests drivers could indeed forgo gasoline stations if they charge regularly.

The reviewer admitted to initial apprehension, expecting the gasoline engine to kick in, but it never did during the week's obligations. The car was charged three times using fast DC chargers. The Starray EM-i's design prioritizes electric driving for daily use, with the gasoline engine acting as a safety net for longer trips, offering a total range of nearly a thousand kilometers and alleviating range anxiety associated with fully electric cars.

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The biggest advantage of the Starray EM-i is that it is not a classic hybrid that only occasionally uses electric drive, but a plug-in hybrid developed precisely with the idea that it handles most daily driving as an electric car, while the gasoline engine remains a safety net for longer journeys.